Alfredo Di Stefano: Real Madrid great dies aged 88

updated 9:06 AM EDT, Tue July 8, 2014

Former Real Madrid star Alfredo di Stefano, one of the world's greatest forwards, spinning a ball in October 1960 during a practice in England. Di Stefano died at the age of 88 on Monday after suffering a heart attack near Madrid's Benabeu Stadium.

Di Stefano, who was born in Buenos Aires and uniquely played for the Argentinian, Colombian, and Spanish national teams, backheels the ball past the Manchester United goalkeeper on October 2, 1959.

Di Stefano, center, poses with his Real Madrid teammates before the start of a Liga football match on June 6, 1959 at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid.

Di Stefano scores Madrid's first goal against Eintracht Frankfurt during the European Cup Final in Glasgow on May 18, 1960. Madrid won 7-3.

Di Stefano poses with the whole team in 1963 at the Bernabeu. He was the team's honorary president from 2000 until his death.

Di Stefano enjoys a beverage or two at a Madrid cafe in 1970.

Di Stefano poses with Real Madrid's new signing, David Beckham, at his official presentation in Madrid on July 2, 2003.

Di Stefano with Argentinian football legends Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, the then-coach of the national team, after Messi received the Di Stefano award for best player of the 2008-2009 season.

Di Stefano receives the Francisco Fernandez Ochoa National Prize from Queen Sofia of Spain during the National Sports Awards ceremony at El Pardo Palace on December 5, 2012 in Madrid, Spain.

Di Stefano on the pitch on May 8, 1962.

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Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

Alfredo Di Stefano: Life of a legend

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Former Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano dies aged 88

Di Stefano led Real to five consecutive European Cup triumphs

Born in Argentina, Di Stefano widely regarded as one of best players of all time

(CNN) -- Former Real Madrid star Alfredo Di Stefano, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, has died at the age of 88.

A statement published on the La Liga team's website confirmed that di Stefano had passed away Monday at Madrid's General Universitario Gregorio Maranon.

"Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and the club's board of directors would like to express their deepest condolences and their love and affection towards his children, friends and family," the club's statement read.

Honorary president of the Spanish giants since 2000, Di Stefano was admitted to hospital on Saturday after suffering a heart attack near Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Di Stefano led Los Blancos to five consecutive European Cup triumphs from 1956 to 1960 and was named European Footballer of the Year twice in 1957 and 1959.

He was equally successful in domestic football, winning eight Spanish league titles and one Copa del Rey.

Real's Perez is due to make a further statement at the Bernabeu later on Monday, the club's Website said.

Remarkably Di Stefano played at international level for three nations but never appeared at the World Cup.

He won six caps for Argentina and played four times for Colombia, though his Colombian caps are not recognized by world governing body FIFA.

In 1957, FIFA gave Di Stefano permission to play for Spain after he gained Spanish citizenship and the Real star went to win 31 caps for La Roja.

Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was among the many leading figures in the game to pay tribute to Di Stefano, saying he was "very sad" to hear the news.

"The great question that always comes up is who are the greatest players," Ferguson told Sky Sports News.

"Obviously there is a list of great ones like (Johan) Cruyff, (Diego) Maradona and Pele and of course (Ferenc) Puskas and of course Di Stefano -- I thought he was one of the greatest in my mind.

"He had a fantastic balance and poise. If you look at one of the goals he scored in the (1960 European Cup) final against Eintracht Frankfurt it was completely what we are saying about the balance and poise, unbelievable he was."